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MP3 Study Guide

1.
2008 Consumer Decision Making Contest
Study Guide
Mp3 Players
MP3 players are the latest means for music lovers to listen to their tunes. This technology is
quickly replacing CD players. Just as CD players replaced cassette players and record albums.
There is a wide range of features and prices that accompany MP3 players. In addition, ongoing
format wars mean the MP3 player you choose dictates where you can buy your digital music.
These devices are anything but one size fits all.
MP3 stands for MPEG Audio Layer 3, which is one way of compressing audio data to a small
size. Depending on the quality and file format settings, one minute of near CD quality music will
use about 1MB of memory. This means a 5GB player can hold roughly 1000 five minute songs.
Choosing an MP3 Player
The first thing you must determine when choosing an MP3 player is your specific need. A player
can have every feature in the world, but if the design doesn’t match your needs, you still won’t en-
joy it. You will want to look at performance. Sound quality and battery life can make or break a
player, especially if you are on the go!
Major brands of MP3 players include Apple, Archos, Cowon, Creative Labs, iRiver, Phillips, RCA,
Samsung, SanDisk, Sony and Toshiba. Brands from smaller companies are on the market as
well.
MP3 players are as varied as the people who buy them. Choice is based on several factors, in-
cluding how you plan to use it, the amount of music you want to carry in your MP3 player, and
how much you are willing to pay.
Guide adapted from Consumer Choices: MP3 Players,
Prepared by Joy Jordan, 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Florida Extension

2.
2008 CDM Study Guide
MP3 Players—Page 2
Choosing an MP3 Player
Commuting a big part of your day?
You listen to your stereo at home, but filling your commute with tunes requires a portable
player. If you commute by bus, look for a compact flash-based player and a pair of noise-
canceling or sound-isolating headphones, to cancel the noise from the other bus patrons.
Sports and Fitness your primary use?
If you spend all of your free time in the gym, on a skateboard or jogging, you need an MP3
player that can keep pace. It should be compact and easy to operate with one hand. Rather
than looking for one with massive storage, choose a flash-based model (with up to 1GB of
storage) that can also withstand tough workouts better than hard-drive based players. You
may also want an armband, an option on some ultracompact models, and a set of head-
phones that will stay in place rather than the cheap earbuds typically included.
On the go—Weekends away from home?
If you spend a lot of time on the go and weekends away from home, you need an MP3 player
that will enhance your journeys with music but doesn't add undue weight to your carry-on. If
you travel with the same laptop that stores your music, a compact flash-based player is the
way to go, but if you share the family at-home desktop, try a higher-capacity player that will
hold all or most of your music. Consider one that has an easily removable and replaceable
battery. Accessories worthy of consideration include noise-canceling or sound-isolating head-
phones, as well as a portable speaker setup for your room at grandparents, camp or other
locations.
File hoarder?
If your appetite for digital music has your computer's hard drive bursting at the seams, you fit
the description of a file hoarder. While sound quality and features are important to you, what
you need most is enormous capacity; at least 40GB or more.
Movies, Videos and Photos, Oh My!
With today’s technology, you can download your favorite movies, music videos, photos and
even TV shows to your MP3 player. If you want to watch your movies or TV shows on the go,
make sure you pick an MP3 player with video capability and large memory.
Guide adapted from Consumer Choices: MP3 Players,
Prepared by Joy Jordan, 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Florida Extension

3.
2008 CDM Study Guide
MP3 Players—Page 3
Types of MP3 Players
Before you start checking out specific models, you should have a basic understanding of the types
of MP3 players available. Two of the most popular types are flash memory players and hard drive
players. Each of these types have their own pros and cons and method for storing and accessing
MP3s.
Solid State Flash Memory Players
The flash memory MP3 player is the smallest and lightest player, often no bigger than a pack of
gum, and they weigh no more than 2 to 3 ounces. They typically can store fewer songs. They’re
solid-state, meaning they have no moving parts and tend to have longer audio playback time than
other players that use hard-disk storage.
With no moving parts, the flash player is ideal for the casual digital music fan, who just wants it for a
small amount of music or that morning jog. Another advantage of the flash memory player, because
of its size, is that its batteries last longer. SanDisk’s MP3 line, for example, includes exclusively
flash-based players.
Storage capacities range from 128 megabytes (MB) to 6 gigabytes (GB) or about 30 to 1,500 songs.
Some flash memory players also have expansion slots to add more memory via card slots on the
player. Common expansion memory formats include Compact Flash, MultiMedia Secure Digital and
SmartMedia. Sony players may use a MagicGate MemoryStick, a copyright protected version of
Sony’s existing MemorySitck media. Memory-card capacities range from about 32 MB to 2GB.
Memory costs have gradually dropped. Price: $15 to $280 for the player; $45 to $50 for a 1-GB
memory card.
Solid state players weigh anywhere between 15 and 150 grams and usually have the highest cost
per megabyte of all the players—so choose your initial capacity and expandability options carefully.
iPod Shuffle 1GB
Sony USB Walkman
Sandisk Sansa m240 iPod Classic
Guide adapted from Consumer Choices: MP3 Players,
Prepared by Joy Jordan, 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Florida Extension

4.
2008 CDM Study Guide
MP3 Players—Page 4
Types of MP3 Players
Hard Drive Players
Hard drive players are bigger and heavier than flash memory players and can offer considerably
more storage. For those looking for a player that can store their entire music collection, the hard
drive is ideal. However, the hard drive does include some moving parts, so there is some possible
skipping when the player is moved around. Because of their size, hard drive players often have
more built-in features. However, these features and the hard drive consume more battery power.
You can generally expect a charged battery to last 8-20 hours.
Most likely, a high capacity player can accommodate every song you’ve ever purchased or ripped
from a CD. Hard drives run from 20GB on up, and large players such as the 160 GB Apple iPod
Classic can hold around 40,000 songs or 200 hours of movies and video.
There are two types of hard disk players: micro-drive and standard hard-disk. The palm-sized micro
drive players have a tiny hard drive with a storage capacity of 3 to 8 GB (about 750 to 2,000 songs).
They weigh about a quarter pound. Standard hard-disk players are about the size of a deck of cards,
and they have a storage capacity of 10 to 160 GB (about 2,500 to 40,000 songs). They typically
weigh less than half a pound. Some hard disk players with video capability have relatively larger
displays, and as a result tend to be the bulkiest models. Price: $140 and up.
Hard disk players offer the best buy when it comes to the amount you pay per-megabyte. They can
also act as portable/external hard disks for general files. However, there are some drawbacks. As
they’re physically larger and heavier and may not be suited for some forms of exercise.
There are battery considerations, too. Generally, hard drive-based players have less battery life than
solid state players, and some use internal (rechargeable) batteries. This poses the potential draw-
back of battery degradation after a couple of years, with shorter total playback time the possible
result. This may be a minor concern, but ask yourself, how long do you want your investment to
last?
Mini-Hard Drive MP3 Players
In terms of price and size, MP3 players using 1-inch micro hard disks are in between high-end solid
state players and low-end hard disk players. Miniature hard disk models range in size from 1GB to
20 GB.
Mini hard drive-based players are the newest type of MP3 player. Examples in this area include
Apple’s iPod mini, Creative’s Zen Micro, iRiver’s H10, Rio’s Carbon and Archos’ Gmini range.
They’re useful because at 100 and 150 grams, they are not quite as big as a full-sized hard disk
player, but can also act as a medium-capacity external storage drive. They can also have some of
the best battery life available.
Although, you’ll want to get a bit of extra capacity for your MP3 collection to grow in the future, try
and make sure that you don’t pay for an extreme amount of extra space you’re never going to use.
Guide adapted from Consumer Choices: MP3 Players,
Prepared by Joy Jordan, 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Florida Extension

5.
2008 CDM Study Guide
MP3 Players—Page 5
Things to Consider when buying MP3 Players
Use - Your personal needs and wants
Determining the type of player depends a lot on how you plan to use it as discussed earlier.
Analyze your needs and wants first as you begin your decision process.
iPod or Not?
Decide whether to get an iPod. With Apple’s family of players so prevalent, and so similar in many
ways, its worth considering the advantages and shortcomings of iPods before going further with
your buying decision. iPods are easy to use, thanks to superb integration of the players and the
company’s iTunes software. The iTunes Store offers the largest selection of legal digital content
on the Web, including virtually all the available downloads of major TV shows. And with the use of
iTunes software so widespread, it’s very likely that a friend or family member from whom you
might want to borrow content already uses it - meaning you will need an iPod to enjoy their songs
and videos.
iPods also have a wide variety of accessories to extend their use, from boomboxes and clock
radios with iPod slots to iPod cases that come in every color and fabric imaginable. Few other
brands of players have custom aftermarket equipment (although generic gear will, for example,
allow you to pipe any player into a component sound system or car stereo.)
As for drawbacks, iPods typically cost a little more than non-Apple players with comparable
capacity. They also lack come of the features and accessories that come with many other players,
such as an FM radio, voice recorder, and an AC charger. Equipping a new iPod with some of
these options can increase its price by more than $100. And iPods can have some special
limitations, such as the inability to easily transfer music from your iPod to any other device. In
addition, iPods require you to open iTunes to transfer music into the player; competing devices
more conveniently let you drag and drop music files without opening music management
software.
Computer Performance and Compatibility
Before you buy any digital player, be sure your computer can handle it. New computers shouldn’t
be a problem, but make sure any player you’re considering is compatible with your older Windows
or Mac computer. Your computer must have a USB port. Consider high-speed internet access if
you are planning to download your music.
Guide adapted from Consumer Choices: MP3 Players,
Prepared by Joy Jordan, 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Florida Extension

6.
2008 CDM Study Guide
MP3 Players—Page 6
Things to Consider when buying MP3 Players
Weight, design, storage capacity and size
Unless you are a budget buyer, you should probably forget about players with only 32MB or less
of on-board memory. With an average of one minute of near CD-quality music per megabyte, at
least 64MB is recommended - even for the most compact player.
Consider a flash-memory model (holding up to 1,500 songs) if a lower price, smaller size, lighter
weight and long playback time are more important to you than a vast selection of tunes. Look for
flash models that can accept external memory cards if you want expanded song capacity. If you
have a large music collection that you want to keep with you, a hard-disk player might make more
sense. Those players can hold up to 15,000 songs and could serenade you for weeks without re-
peating a tune. For some, navigating through the menus or directories (folders) of songs might
also take longer.
Hard-disk players vary in size, generally in step with capacity. Mini drive players are about the
size of a credit card, and a 4GB model can hold about 1,000 songs, whereas models with 20GB
hard disks are about the size of a deck of cards and can hold about 5,000 songs.
Capacity Number of songs* Hours of play*
128 MB 60 4
256 MB 100 8
512 MB 250 16
1GB Over 500 30+
*Approximate figures based on CD quality WMA
Source: Six tips for Buying an MP3 Player with Flash Memory, Microsoft Corporation
Guide adapted from Consumer Choices: MP3 Players,
Prepared by Joy Jordan, 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Florida Extension

7.
2008 CDM Study Guide
MP3 Players—Page 7
Things to Consider when buying MP3 Players
Format Compatibility and Music Choices
Consider your music sources and download choices. Be aware that online music copy-protected
sources are limited with some models. For example, Sony players work only with one online mu-
sic store, while iPods are compatible with iTunes and Real.
Players that support copy-protected WMA formats, like those from Archos, Creative, RCA, and
Samsung, allow access to the greatest number of online stores and, because of the competition,
cheaper music. Another WMA-store benefit: BuyMusic, MSN, Real and other sites offer songs at
a higher bit rate than the standard 128 kbs, which has the potential to sound better. Some players
won’t play music purchased from any online store.
Also, note that with most music players, you have choices when it comes to software for recording
(ripping) music. You can use the software that comes with your computer or player, such as Apple
iTunes, MusicMatch, Napster or Windows Media Player, or download other freeware or share-
ware applications. If the program has the software plug-in for your player, you can transfer the
music to your player directly; otherwise you will need to use the program that came with your
player to perform the transfer. iPod owners, for example, need to use iTunes to transfer music to
the player.
Price
One of the biggest issues when choosing the right player is price. Price is driven primarily by the
type and size of the player you choose. This can vary from a cheap solid state model to nearly
$1000 to a full featured hard disk player. You can find budget friendly models for less than $100.
The majority of players do range between $100 and $500.
Power consumption and battery type
With any portable device, batteries are a consideration. Many flash players use AA or AAA
batteries or rechargeable batteries. Most hard drive based players come with non-removable
lithium-ion batteries, which typically last 2 to 4 years. These players can be charged using your
computer or an AC adapter.
Special features or Accessories
When choosing a MP3 player, you might want to consider additional special features or accesso-
ries. Some special features include: radio tuner, recording capabilities and data storage. Accesso-
ries can also be purchased to enhance your MP3 experience. These include: protective/
decorative cases, noise canceling headphones, speakers, and many more.
Guide adapted from Consumer Choices: MP3 Players,
Prepared by Joy Jordan, 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Florida Extension